Performance Enhancing Drugs and Sports Received: 03-11-2017 Accepted: 04-12-2017 Dheeraj Kumar Mishra and Dr
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International Journal of Physiology, Nutrition and Physical Education 2018; 3(1): 07-09 ISSN: 2456-0057 IJPNPE 2018; 3(1): 07-09 © 2018 IJPNPE Performance enhancing drugs and sports www.journalofsports.com Received: 03-11-2017 Accepted: 04-12-2017 Dheeraj Kumar Mishra and Dr. Vikram Singh Dheeraj Kumar Mishra Research Scholar, Abstract Department of Physical This study aims to analyze the use of PEDs or doping in the world of sports. Drugs allow for harder and Education, BHU, Varanasi, more frequent workouts. Most of the athletes don’t use drugs for competition, they use them for training, Uttar Pradesh, India allowing them to handle a workload others will find impossible. The physiological changes that allows to make them capable of higher performances. The facts that it speeds up recovery and stimulates protein Dr. Vikram Singh synthesis are very attractive to athletes of all ages, but especially to those nearing the end of their Supervisor Associate Professor, professional careers. Department of Physical Education, BHU, Varanasi, Keywords: Doping, drugs, world anti-doping association (WADA), performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) Uttar Pradesh, India Introduction Doping in sport, defined as the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers in an athlete’s sample, or evidence of the attempted use or use of a prohibited method, appears to be widespread (Pitsch. W, Emrich. E.). Performance-enhancing drugs are not unique to modern athletic competition. Mushrooms, plants and mixtures of wine and herbs were used by ancient Greek Olympic athletes and Roman gladiators competing in Circus Maximums dating back to 776 BC. Various plants were used for their stimulant effects in speed and endurance events as well as to mask pain, allowing injured athletes to continue competing (Landry, G.L. and Kokotaio, P.K). Doping has been around for centuries, but anti-doping measures first arose in the 60s, according to Dick Pound, former president of the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA). “Testing started at the 1968 Olympic Games,” Pound recalls, but the science was far from perfect. Eight years later, at the 1976 Olympics, East Germany won a suspiciously high number of gold medals—40 in total—with the swim team winning 11 of 13 events. The feat was whispered about everywhere, from the Olympic village to the global media, but it wasn’t until 1991 that the former East German coaches admitted to widespread steroid use and blood transfusions. Many of the athletes (a number of whom were teenagers at the time) denied that they knew they were doping. Some revealed health issues they had as adults due to steroid use—and a few were eventually compensated. The Chinese weren’t any good at swimming—until 1992. Then, all of a sudden, at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona, the women’s swim team won 4 gold medals. Then, at the 1994 World Championships, they won 12 of 16 women’s titles. Needless to say, people got suspicious. Sure enough, 11 Chinese women swimmers tested positive for di-hydro-testosterone at the 1994 Asian Games, and the jig was up. But when the team won only 1 gold at the 1996 Olympics, they decided to give doping another try…and so they were caught again before the 1998 World Championships. This time there were 4 positive tests and a vile of HGH in one swimmer’s luggage. Despite increasingly advanced testing, cheating athletes have slipped through the cracks—for a while at least—like Marion Jones, who in 2007 admitted to doping and dramatically gave back her five Olympic gold medals from the 2000 Sydney Games. Regina Jacobs, a middle-distance runner, competed in three summer Olympics before her career was ended by the dark shadow Correspondence Dheeraj Kumar Mishra of steroids in 2003. Research Scholar, Department of Physical Doping Timeline Education, BHU, Varanasi, 1968: Drug testing begins at the Winter Olympic Games in Grenoble, France. Uttar Pradesh, India ~ 7 ~ International Journal of Physiology, Nutrition and Physical Education 1991: A former East Germany swim coach admits to members of that relay team, Ashwini Akkunji, Mandeep Kaur systematic doping of the team. and Sini Jose, all tested positive for a banned substance. All of them were banned for two years by the Court of Arbitration 1994: British runner Diane Modahl is suspended from for Sport. It was particularly hard blow for Akkunji, who had competition following a positive urine test; she unsuccessfully received public adulation after her feats in 2010. It was Yuri protests, citing improper handling of the sample. Ogorodnik, the coach of that team, who took the fall. He declared that it was he who had given the girls those 1999: World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) is supplements, since they had run out of supplements provided established. by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). 2003: Middle-distance runner Regina Jacobs retires after Discussion three Olympic Games and one drug test—which was positive On the basis of above information the main part of discussion for steroids. is why athletes use PEDs. Athletes are using PEDs to extend their careers by upto one to two years. The facts that it speeds 2004: Sprinter Kelli White is stripped of her two World up recovery and stimulates protein synthesis are very Championship gold medals for testing positive for steroids. attractive to athletes of all ages, but especially to those nearing the end of their professional careers. Playing an extra 2007: Track superstar Marion Jones admits to doping during year or two can be worth millions of dollars to a professional the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and is sentenced to prison a athlete. The thing which comes out is the fact that most of year later due to check fraud. these athletes were not aware. They just take what their coaches give them and also the pressure of competition. 2014: Three-time Chicago Marathon winner Liliya Shobukhova receives a two-year ban from the Russian Conclusion Athletics Federation for abnormalities discovered in her Drug abuse in athletes is a significant problem that has many biological passport. potential basic causes. The drive to be the best in sport dates to ancient times, as does the use of performance-enhancing Doping Today substances. With the ever-mounting pressures faced by All elite runners cross paths with the option to illegally athletes, it is not surprising that drug abuse by athletes exists increase their chances of success. Authorities agree—doping across essentially all sports and age groups. is not going away anytime soon. “Performance-enhancing 1. Trainers, coaches, and health care providers should drugs are a serious concern in both men and women sports at provide evidence-based, safe alternatives to PED use, all levels of competition,” says Annie Skinner, spokesperson including optimal nutrition, weight-training strategies, and for the United States Anti-Doping Association (USADA). psychological approaches to improving performance, all Some drugs are seen across all sports and genders. “In of which may help with athletes’ confidence in their general, anabolic agents, stimulants, growth factors and beta-2 natural abilities. agonists are among the most commonly seen prohibited 2. If providers become aware of an athlete using PEDs, they substances,” Skinner explains. “In endurance sports, should educate the athlete about the potential risks of substances like erythropoietin (EPO) and methods like blood continued use, regardless of any evidence that suggests transfusions can also provide a tremendous advantage, as they this may not be influential for all athletes. Providers allow for increased oxygen to the muscles.” should encourage discontinuation of the abused All of these drugs allow for harder and more frequent substances. workouts. “Most cheaters don’t use drugs for competition; 3. The efficacy of education about PED use as a preventative they use them for training, allowing them to handle a measure needs further study. Early integration of well- workload others will find impossible. The physiological designed prevention curricula into sports programs may be change that’s allowed makes them capable of superior beneficial. However, as alluded to earlier, at least one performances,” says Fleshman. This makes testing only preliminary study suggests that educational programs that during competition relatively ineffective. solely emphasize the negative effects of PEDs may be ineffective for young athletes. Doping and India 4. Research should examine differences in treatment It’s been an open secret in Indian sports. So when news approaches that may be needed for athletes who have been emerged that India ranked 3rd behind Russia and Turkey in a using drugs for a shorter versus longer period of time. 2013 WADA report, it didn’t really come as a surprise. 5. Mental health professionals should be included in the Doping is a malaise that has afflicted Indian sports for far too network of team doctors and other health care providers long. readily available to athletes. Psychiatrists are often helpful The statistics in report are damning. Over 91 Indian athletes in developing strong drug prevention policies that from various different sporting events have failed dope tests. emphasize education and treatment and not just While the vast majorities are track and field athletes (30), the sanctions. Mental health care professionals should have a other sports involved included weight-lifting, wrestling, year-round presence with the athletes and teams with power-lifting, bodybuilding, judo, boxing and various others. whom they are working so as to build trust. And even cricket is on that list. In 2010, Indian athletics was at an all-time high. The Indian References female contingent had won successive gold medals at the 1. Baron DA, Martin DM, Abol MS. Doping in sports and 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2010 Asian Games in its spread to at-risk populations: an international the 4X400 m relay event.